Dozens of animal care organizations and volunteers voiced their concerns during a Middletown City Council meeting on Tuesday, urging the council to reconsider a 2018 statute that bans feeding, spaying, neutering, and vaccinating the large number of abandoned cats at Smith Park.
The volunteers and groups are asking the council to revisit the ordinance, which prohibits animal feeding. The meeting was standing-room only, with many attendees sharing their frustrations over the situation. A group involved in the care of the park’s cats told WLWT that hundreds of cats are abandoned at Smith Park every year, and shelters have been built to provide safe spaces for them.
However, the group reported that they have been instructed to stop feeding the cats, and police are now regularly monitoring the park. The volunteers warned that if they are no longer allowed to feed, vaccinate, spay, or neuter the cats, the population and associated problems will only grow.
Middletown’s Vice Mayor, Steve West, explained that the council is constrained by the current ordinance, but expressed support for fines against those abandoning animals in the park. “Council cannot tell the police or city administration to ignore the ordinance, but we are open to looking at solutions,” West said.
Volunteer Kayla Baker highlighted the potential consequences, stating, “If they don’t walk into this trap, then they’re not being taken to the vet to get vaccinated. So, then, you’re going to have a bunch of sick cats running around the park. And if they’re not getting vaccinated, they’re not getting fixed, and then you run into the problem of hundreds of babies running all over.”
All Paws Matter Rescue, an organization that has been actively helping the cats, reported that in the past three years, they have successfully spayed and neutered 1,477 cats but will now have to halt their efforts due to the current restrictions.
Middletown’s Mayor stated that the council would continue to address the issue of the cat colony during the next meeting, scheduled for April 15.
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